Stella by Starlight

References to flight occur throughout the book. Flying symbolizes freedom, especially the freedom to be oneself and to seek a future without limitations. When Tony Hawkins tells Stella about running on the track of the white school at night, he alludes to flying when he says he “feel[s] like an eagle or something” (13). Spoon Man later echoes the imagery of a bird in flight with his story about the eagle who knew he did not belong with the flightless chickens, which in turn inspires Stella to think and write about birds and planes.

In Mrs. Grayson’s story at school, the character Zalika’s solution for escaping the pain and abuse of slavery is to fly away, and she is such a strong inspiration to other slaves that they are able to fly away as well. Stella’s final SENTINEL article implies that she intends to “fly” someday unlike the roosters who “never look beyond the fence” (320). Symbolically, Stella wants the freedom to pursue her dreams without others’ prejudices dictating her choices or options.

Words both symbolize Stella’s goal of deriving truth and serve as the literal and figurative tools that she must learn to wield to convey it.